Southwest Airlines announced a promotional opportunity to earn Companion Pass for two months. You’ll have to act fast as this offer is only valid through Thursday, February 20th.
Southwest Promotional Companion Pass Details
If you’re unfamiliar with Southwest Companion Pass status, it is the top tier of the airline’s Rapid Rewards loyalty program. Companion Pass holders can designate one person to fly with them for free each time the passholder purchases a flight using cash or points. The only additional cost are the taxes and fees associated with the second ticket. For domestic itineraries, this is typically $5.60.
The dates on this offer are a little quirky and you’ll have to make a decision quickly if you want to participate. First, head on over to southwest.com to register for the promotion.
Then, you must purchase a qualifying round trip or two one-way flights between now and February 20, 2025. Travel must be completed by March 31, 2025 to qualify. Note that you must be registered for the promotion before booking so any existing reservations won’t count.
Once you have completed the items outlined above, you will be grated a promotional Companion Pass that is valid between August 7 and October 8, 2025. Your promotional Companion Pass will be reflected in your Rapid Rewards account on August 7 and you can select your companion then. If you book travel prior to August 7, you can add your companion after the fact on a space available basis.
You are allowed to change your companion three times during the promotional, two month period, so this could be a great way to travel with multiple friends and family members.
Is This Promotion Worth It?
One of the great things about Southwest is its flexible booking policy. Qualifying tickets for this promotion can be booked with points, cash, or a combination of both. The airline makes it very easy to cancel and reschedule flights so there is very little risk to booking under this promotion.
I have already registered for the promotion and will be searching for a quick, cheap flight in order to qualify. Living in Austin there are typically some inexpensive options on short hops around the state so I’ll spend the next day or so looking for something that fits into my schedule.
I haven’t locked in any of my travel beyond July but Mrs. ATX and I typically make at least one Fall trip to Colorado and I’ll be visiting Louisiana multiple times so there’s some value in me going out of my way to obtain Companion Pass.
If you don’t fly Southwest often or don’t have solidified travel plans, it may still be worthwhile to register for this promotion. You can always book something and cancel for a refund should your plans change. If you already have travel booked with the airline, look at registering and rebooking your trip as the price differences may be minor.
Summary
One day after announcing plans to lay off more than 1,750 employees, Southwest is offering a promotional Companion Pass challenge to its customers. While you have to act fast, this should be an easy challenge to complete. This is especially true if you regularly fly with the airline as it only requires one roundtrip flight. I’m already registered for the promotion, and just looking for where I want to fly.
(Images courtesy Southwest)
